Raven's Secret
by Ravens-Despair
Summary: COMPLETE! READ AND REVIEW! Raven: dark, mysterious, quiet. What is she trying to hide? When Robin discovers her secret, what will he do? Does not contain facts from comic books.
1. The Flu That Brought Them Closer

**Raven's Secret**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own the Teen Titans or any elements from the show. All I own is this story and these cookies (looks closer at cookie tin); wait, these are property of Tollhouse! No! Damn you Tollhouse Cookies! Damn your tasty cookies (takes a bite out of cookie) MMM…

**_Note:_** For the beginning of this chapter, Cyborg and Beast Boy are not mentioned. Um, they are at the Tower doing something. I don't know… I just didn't feel like writing them in. They are at the end of the chapter, though.

* * *

"Starfire! Watch out!" Robin called as he impaled the oozing blob they called Plasmus with his weapon of choice: his Bo.

Starfire let Robin's words of advice sink in and she dodged the massive stone fist of Cinderblock. She smiled at Robin for helping her out. A green starbolt formed in her palm and Starfire continued fighting Cinderblock. Raven's shield was wearing thin. She figured that it would dissipate soon, so Raven let go of her shield and focused her energy on her target: Overload. Raven came up with a distraction: two black orbs floating over Overload's head. Whilst Overload swung at the orbs with his hands, Raven chanted her favorite three words.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," Raven chanted as she gained strength. She focused on a nearby fire hydrant and caused it to explode. Water splashed everywhere.

Overload uttered a cry of defeat before he disintegrated into nothing more than a mere red computer chip. Raven released her shield. She glanced over at Starfire and Cinderblock, who was loosening up. The stone that formed his body was wearing away as a result of the water and Starfire's continuous punches. Raven landed the final blow with a speeding pole. Cinderblock was sent crashing to the pavement; when he finally landed, scattered chunks of stone took his place.

"Oh yes! We are victorious!" Starfire cheered as a gleaming smile claimed her face.

Raven pulled off her hood as she searched the street for Robin and Plasmus. As Raven walked toward the south end of the street, Starfire's T-Comm rang. Starfire flipped it open and smiled as Robin's face appeared on the screen.

"Friend Robin! Friend Raven was in the process of seeking your presence. In which area are you?" Starfire asked immediately, before Robin even had the chance to open his mouth.

"Plasmus has been defeated, but I spotted Slade. I'm going after him. You guys stay right there!" Robin ordered before Starfire's T-Comm screen went blank.

Raven examined Starfire's puzzled face. To ask _"Is something amiss?" _would be an understatement.

Before Raven had the chance to question Starfire's puzzled gaze, Starfire answered, "I am feeling the emotion of anxiety. Robin is attempting to seek Slade! I am afraid that he will become damaged!"

Raven wasn't the least bit fazed; after all, this was typical "Robin" behavior. She was about to open her mouth to say _"So? This is Robin we're talking about. He's always going after Slade. He is obsessed with hunting down every villain. Why does this matter so much to you?"_, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. She didn't want Starfire to get greatly upset or worse: cry. Raven sighed a bit and said, "Okay. Let's go find him." She watched as a bright and toothy grin crossed Starfire's face.

.....................

The tears of the night sky completely soaked Starfire and Raven as they had finally tracked their leader.

"Robin!" Raven called.

Robin appeared to be chasing a dark figure, but neither Raven nor Starfire could make out who it was. Robin seemed morally determined to catch this particular shadowy figure. Raven and Starfire watched as the figure removed two glistening objects that captured the stray light from a nearby lamppost. He turned toward Robin and, the next thing that Raven knew, the shiny objects appeared to be entering Robin's body from his shoulder and exiting through his back. Starfire gasped. Raven and Starfire exchanged unspoken words and each headed toward Robin and the criminal. Raven flew toward the fleeing man and dodged several sharp projectiles. She spoke her words that struck fear into humans' hearts. A rail levitated toward the figure and it struck him. The man spat out blood and saliva.

"Don't hurt me anymore! Please!" the man cried out for mercy as Raven moved in with an army of floating projectiles following her.

Raven rolled her eyes. "You showed no mercy toward Robin. Why should I show mercy toward you?" Raven questioned, sounding a bit sadistic. She had let her anger get the best of her, even though she didn't let it get out of hand.

The whimpering man was backed into a corner as Raven took a small step closer. "I- I was h-hired by S-Slade. Please! Let m-m-me go. I w-won't do it again!" the man stuttered.

Raven pointed to the road. Her message was clear: Run like hell. As the man fled, Raven walked over to Robin and Starfire. Starfire was rubbing Robin's shoulder wounds as Robin winced in pain.

"Raven, can you not fix him with the powers you possess? He is greatly damaged!" Starfire asked as a salty tear ran down her cheek.

"I cannot. We have to take him to the emergency ward in Titans Tower. Starfire, you lift Robin up and fly him to the Tower. I'll follow," Raven replied.

Starfire did as Raven said. Soon, they reached the Tower.

"How is he? In what condition is Robin?" Starfire eagerly questioned as Raven and Cyborg stepped out of the medical room.

Raven forced a smile, which to her was the slightest upturn of the lips. "He's okay."

Starfire jumped up and down as she cheered happily. Raven turned around and headed back into the medical room.

"How do you feel, Robin?" she asked as she looked down at Robin's awakening form.

Robin blinked twice and sat up straight. "I feel…a little better," he answered weakly.

"Well, you're going to have to stay in bed for a little while longer. You need all the rest you can get. You were knocked up pretty badly," Raven said.

Robin looked at the floor. "Don't remind me," he muttered under his breath.

"Robin, not only were you stabbed, but you also have the flu," Raven added, which made Robin feel even worse.

"Gee, thanks, Rave-ACHOO!" Robin sneezed. His whole body lurched forward in his powerful sneeze.

Raven handed Robin a tissue. Robin snatched it out of Raven's hand and blew his nose hard. Then he tossed it over his shoulder.

* * *

How was that chapter? It took me a while to write it. Next chapter up soon. 


	2. It Cannot Be Revealed

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Raven's eyes darted back and forth across the crisp pages of her novel. She had to keep herself occupied with something-_anything_-before she annihilated Beast Boy.

"It's the happy, happy noon time song! We can sing it all day long!" Beast Boy sang along.

Raven sighed and lowered her book. She watched as Beast Boy had his eyes glued to the television screen (not literally). He clapped his hands to the animated beat of the _"Noon Time Song". _Raven raised her book again as Beast Boy stood up from the floor and walked over to Raven.

"I love _'My Life as a Teenage Robot'_! It's awesome! I especially love this episode," Beast Boy exclaimed as he sat down next to Raven on the black couch. His eyes wandered to the cover of Raven's novel, which was conveniently called _"To Kill a Mockingbird". _Beast Boy gulped and returned to his cartoon.

Raven set her book down on the couch and stood up. She made her way over to the kitchen to prepare a steaming mug of herbal tea. _'What a dolt,' _Raven thought as she poured water into her black ceramic teapot. As Raven reached for her whistling teapot, Starfire burst into the kitchen.

"I am afraid that Friend Robin has taken a turn for the worse. He is not improving," she cried out. Tears of sorrow lined her rosy cheeks. Her usually bright green eyes were red and downcast.

Raven just stared at her, stone-faced and cold. "Nice," she replied simply as she inserted a Tazo tea bag into her mug.

Starfire glanced at Raven. She wore a mask of utter confusion. "How is this nice? This is most definitely not enjoyable. Friend Robin is in pain. He does not feel the emotion of happiness. How is this nice?" Starfire asked.

Raven sipped her tea. "Exactly," she replied, deadpan. She set her mug down on the table and walked to her room.

Starfire scrunched her nose in confusion. "What does Friend Raven mean by _exactly_? I do not understand. The definition of _exactly _is that it is quite so. It is used to express an agreement. When Friend Raven said exactly, she did not express an agreement of any sort. I am terribly confused," Starfire conversed amongst herself. "Maybe it was that thing that Earthlings call _sarcasm_. I must ask Friend Robin, when he is better."

…...........

_Whenever I'm alone with you _

_You make me feel like I am home again _

_Whenever I'm alone with you _

_You make me feel like I am whole again _

Raven lay on her black bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was a song she knew well. It was her favorite song.

_However far away_

_I will always love you_

_However long I stay_

_I will always love you_

_Whatever words I say_

_I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

She used to sing it with Rick, her former boyfriend from a few years ago, back in Azarath. She promised him that she would always love him. But he cheated on her. They were no longer a whole. Back then, _she _was no longer whole. But now, it doesn't matter anymore. She doesn't care. Raven put her CD into her CD player and listened to the hypnotic sounds of Robert Smith and his band: The Cure.

_Whenever I'm alone with you _

_You make me feel like I am free again _

_Whenever I'm alone with you _

_You make me feel like I am clean again _

A knock on her door interrupted her session of relaxation and reflection. Raven removed her headphones and slowly walked over to her door. She opened it slightly to Beast Boy's face.

"Raven me, Starfire, and Cyborg are going to look for medicine for Robin. Then Starfire wants to go shopping. Do you want to come, or do you want to stay here?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven took a moment to think. "I'll…stay here."

"Ok, but you'll have to look after Robin," Beast Boy responded.

As Raven was about to protest, Beast Boy ran after Cyborg into the living room. Raven sighed and looked down at her red-carpeted floor. _'I guess I'm here, all alone with the Boy Wonder. I'm going to have to watch over him. Great. Just great,'_ Raven thought as she heard the front door slam after Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg. She dragged herself over to Robin's room; even though she did not want to go, she had to watch over him. _'He's old enough to watch himself. He's not five,'_ Raven thought as Robin's door slid open. She glanced over at Robin's sleeping form. Robin was turned to one side, his blanket covering his cold body. Raven walked over to a chair near Robin's bed and sat down on it. She removed a book from a pocket inside of her cloak and started reading. A faint "Hello" startled Raven. She glanced at Robin's face, which was staring right back at her. She slightly waved her hand and returned to her book.

"You know, you were the last person that I expected to be here," Robin said as he sat up in his bed. His red and green blanket fell away from his shirtless body.

"You were expecting Starfire. She's out looking for your medicine with Beast Boy and Cyborg. Then they're going to go to the mall, so don't expect them back any time soon," Raven deadpanned whilst not looking away from her book.

Robin chuckled at Raven's small joke.

After silence ruled for a few moments, Robin broke the ice.

"Raven, we've lived in this Tower together for a while, but I still don't know much about you."

Raven barely lowered her book away from her face. "That's nice."

Robin glared at Raven. "Come on, Raven. Stop being like that." He placed his hand gently on Raven's shoulder.

Raven looked down at Robin's pale hand and narrowed her eyes. Despite Raven's subtle warning, Robin kept his hand where it was, for he was one not to give in. Raven gave Robin one last hard look before sighing deeply.

"Robin get your hand off of me. Now. Right now," Raven growled between clenched teeth. She set her book down on Robin's nightstand and gazed angrily into Robin's mask.

Robin just smirked and gazed right back into Raven's eyes.

Raven looked away and crossed her arms. "Ok, fine."

Robin removed his hand from Raven's shoulder and sat up in his bed. He re-wrapped his blanket around his body and looked eagerly at Raven. Raven noted that he looked like a small child in kindergarten waiting for the teacher to read him a story.

"I was born in a place called Azarath…"

**Two Hours Later**

"…And Harley Quinn and the Joker were both sent to Arkham. They remain there today, I think," Robin finished up. He looked over at his bat-clock. "It's been about two hours," he said to no one in particular.

Raven stretched out and yawned. _'I am **never** going to sit down for a long period of time **ever **again,' _she thought as she stood up from the chair. Raven smoothed out her dark velvet cloak.

Robin adjusted his blanket and his pillow. "Thanks for staying with me, Raven…I guess," Robin called as Raven walked toward the door with her novel in her hand.

Raven turned around slowly. She stopped when she met Robin's mask. "Yeah. You're…welcome, I guess," she said as she walked out of Robin's room. Raven heard the front door slide open.

Starfire zoomed past Raven and into Robin's room. Raven heard Starfire say, "Have you overcome your illness?" and Robin responded, "Not really. But I wish I did." Raven strolled through the corridor labeled "Hallway" and into the living room. Beast Boy and Cyborg were unloading what seemed to be heavy bags. Loads of bright pink clothes were taken out of the bag and stacked on the couch.

"Next time, we know _never _to take Starfire shopping again. Man; look at all of these clothes. And they're pink! My eye can't take all the pink!" Cyborg exclaimed as he continued to unpack the clothes.

'_Now where is my wallet? I put it in the bag earlier…Ah! There it is,'_ Beast Boy thought as he held up his green wallet. "Now this is what I call _'buying in bulk'_," he joked as he rummaged through the clothes.

"Boo!" Cyborg jeered as he tossed the empty bags aside.

Raven's eyes adjusted to all of the pink. "Did you guys find Robin's medicine?" she asked as she sat on the top of the couch.

"Yeah. It was Tylenol or something like that, right?" Beast Boy replied as he held up a small pill bottle.

"Yes, it was," Raven answered. She reached for the pill bottle.

Beast Boy noticed that when Raven reached for the pill bottle, her sleeves on her leotard were pulled on extra tightly. Raven grabbed the bottle and pocketed it. She raised an eyebrow as Beast Boy continued to stare at her sleeves.

"What?" she finally asked, slightly annoyed.

Beast Boy scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Uh…nothing," he answered as he looked away from Raven's glaring face.

Raven shook her head and walked out of the living room. As soon as Raven was completely out, Beast Boy whispered, "Dude, something's up with Raven."

"She's sarcastic, cold, afraid of pink… she's acting completely normal. Why would up say that something's up with her?" Cyborg asked.

"Well, she's, like, extra pale. And did you see her sleeves? They were fastened really tight," Beast Boy answered. "_Too _tight," he added as he stroked his chin in a mock act of thoughtfulness.

…...............

Raven paced back and forth inside her mind. She was thoughtful, yet thoughtless at the same time. She was worried, yet laid-back.

"Dude, what's her problem?" Courage asked Wisdom as she pointed to Raven.

Wisdom gave Courage a look of disappointment and superior knowledge. "Is it not obvious? She's worried…about it," she answered.

"Oh," Courage scoffed. "I- I knew that." She folded her arms under her forest green cloak.

'_Right,' _Wisdom thought as she made her way over to Raven. "Is everything all right?"

Raven gave her a blank stare. "Yeah. Peachy." She shifted to her other leg uncomfortably as Wisdom stared into her eyes. "Ok. Look, I just don't want him to find out. I can't stay with him anymore. I'm afraid he'll find out. He'll discover the truth."

Wisdom thought for a brief moment. "You don't have to open up to him that often. You are not obligated to tell him _everything._ Tell him the things you can mention. The things that harm no one and do not create a risk of any sort. Just…keep your mouth shut some of the time," she replied with a smile.

"You don't understand. Robin is different from the other guys. He listens. It's hard to keep some things away from a guy how knows just how to make you talk," Raven said.

Courage jumped up from the ground. She placed her hand on Raven's shoulder. "Raven, you can't, under _any _circumstances, blurt out the secret."

"Oh yes. If you tell him the secret, he won't like you anymore. And he already doesn't like you," Timid added as she sat in fetal position on the ground.

"But, I don't want him to like me. I'm his friend and he is mine. Nothing more and nothing less," Raven retorted.

"Yeah. So why is it so hard to keep your mouth shut around him?" Courage questioned, with unexpected knowledge.

That question left Raven to think. She teleported out of her mind and gently set her mirror down on her dresser. _'Why is it so hard for me to keep my mouth shut around him?'_ Raven lay down on her bed and thought about the answer. Soon, before she figured out an answer of _any _sort, her eyes shut tightly and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The end of another weird chapter. Yes, it was uneventful, but some parts of this chapter were important; well, not exactly important, but they will pop up later. See you next time! 


	3. Then, Everything Went Black

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter Three**

**Note:** Sorry about the long wait. Computer was giving me problems... yet again...

* * *

_"Selina grabbed the weapon and dashed out of the room. The room that brought back many memories. 'This was their room. They were murdered here. I can't believe my luck,' Selina whispered to herself as she reached the hallway. A ghastly figure sprung out of the shadows and lunged for her. Selina's heart raced as she was pinned to the floor by her attacker. 'Ah-ha! Selina, my deary. What brings you here? I thought that the mutilated bodies of your loved ones were enough to keep you away from this place. But it seems that you are not as smart as I had thought,' the man whispered into Selina's ear. Then…" _Raven's lips moved along with her horror novel. A look of annoyance crossed her face as Beast Boy poked her. She turned to face Beast Boy. "What do you want?" she asked with a glare. 

Beast Boy grinned and leaned in toward Raven. "Whatcha readin'?" he asked kindly. He bit his lip a Raven shot him a death glare.

"I am reading a novel. It is too advanced for you and I am sure that you have not even picked up a book in your life. So leave me alone and get back to your childish game of _'Disco Robot Dance'_," Raven snapped, rather harsher than expected.

Beast Boy couldn't help but look hurt and upset. After he figured that Raven wouldn't go for the "puppy dog pout", he sighed. "It's called _'Super Robot Monkey Dance Fusion Disco Dude 2'. _So there!" he said. Beast Boy blew a raspberry at Raven and picked up his controller.

Raven rolled her eyes. She sighed. "Whatever. Either way… never mind. I am not going to start an argument, especially not with you." Raven sighed with relief when Beast Boy did not reply.

"_Turn Around!" "Boogie Down!" "Super Monkey Moonwalk!"_

'_Ugh! That god-forsaken game is getting on my nerves. Out of all the things that Cyborg and Beast Boy could've bought, they had to buy this,' _Raven thought as she tried to recapture all of her concentration. She wasn't successful.

Starfire opened her room door and Tamaranian folk music floated out. _Loud _Tamaranian folk music. Starfire sang along to what Raven thought was gibberish. She removed a tissue from one of her pockets and wiped her red nose. Starfire sniffled as she saw Raven covering her ears. "Friend Raven, why are you muffling your hearing devices?" she asked as she drew in a small breath through her small, red nose.

Starfire's door started to glow black; then it closed. No, it _slammed._ Raven sighed in relief. "That should answer your question, Starfire," Raven replied quietly as she returned to her book.

Starfire nodded her head. "Friend Robin requires our help. I shall go and ask him (sniff) who he wishes to watch over him." With that, she turned and walked to Robin's room.

Raven continued to read her book, but was interrupted shortly.

"Friend Raven, Friend Robin wishes to have you."

…

"Why me?" Raven asked in a low and steady voice. She crossed her arms under her chest and sat in the chair next to Robin's bed. She glared at Robin as she awaited his answer.

Robin lay in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. When he came up with an answer, he sprang up in his bed. "Because you have healing powers."

Raven narrowed her eyes to slits. "Woo-hoo," she responded cynically.

Robin half-smiled. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Teach me," he whispered.

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "Teach you what?"

"Teach me how to meditate," he replied in a low voice.

Raven's face was plastered with a puzzled look. "Uh, Robin… Anyone can meditate. Besides, this isn't like you. Do you have a fever?" she asked.

Robin nodded. "Yeah, I have a fever, but that's beside the point. I want you to teach me how to meditate. I need to gather my thoughts for when I go out there and have to face that criminal who tried to kill me. When I catch him, I'm going to…" Robin roared, his voice rising to the point of a yell.

"Calm down, Robin. You need to relax if you want to learn," Raven said calmly. As soon as Robin was calm, she began the lesson. "First, you cross your legs, like so…"

**One Hour Later**

Silence flooded the room. Raven and Robin were successfully meditating.

"Azarath Metrion, Zinthos…" Raven was chanting.

Robin copied, even though it did nothing for him.

As they meditated, the trouble alarm rang. It sliced through the silence like a knife through Robin's back. Raven's eye shot open and she jumped up from her chair.

"Stay here. And don't pull anything tricky, Robin," she commanded as she left the room.

Robin sighed as the door closed behind Raven.

…

"Don't you guys ever leave us alone?" Cyborg yelled in question.

"Yeah, we will…once you snot bags are dead!" Gizmo replied as he hovered in the air with his jetpack.

"But this time, that's gonna happen. We brought friends from school!" Jinx said as she grinned wickedly.

Suddenly, a girl that looked similar to Raven and a boy that looked similar to Cyborg jumped out from behind Mammoth.

"DNA stealers," Raven and Cyborg muttered at the same time.

"HIVE, Pattern Omega!" Jinx commanded. She flew up and a ball of pink energy grew between her hands. Jinx aimed it at Raven.

A black shadow raven took Raven under its wing and transported her behind Jinx. Raven held a dark energy ball in her hands. She raised her arm to throw it at Jinx, but a blast from behind shocked her and caused her to fall to the ground.

The girl that resembled Raven smiled evilly and her red eyes glowed. Raven pushed herself off the ground and stared at her semi-clone.

"Azarath Metrion, ZINTHOS!" Raven yelled.

Raven's semi-clone flew into a building. A few bricks that came loose during the impact fell onto her.

Starfire fended off Mammoth's high punch. She formed a starbolt in her hand and knocked Mammoth out cold with it. A shrill voice behind her called Starfire's name.

"Hello? Who has just called the name that I possess?" Starfire asked as she turned around.

All Starfire saw was Jinx waving "goodbye". Starfire raised an eyebrow and turned back around, where she was greeted with Mammoth's huge fist. She impacted on the ground.

"Good job, big guy," Jinx called out to Mammoth as she flew over to attack the remaining Titans.

Cyborg charged up his sonic cannon. "Lock and load," he said as he aimed at his semi-clone. He fired.

Cyborg's semi-clone (I'm getting sick of typing that) turned around in time and _absorbed _Cyborg's sonic blast! He fired the blast right back at Cyborg, but at ten times the strength. Cyborg lay on the sidewalk; he was a wreck.

"Two Titans down, two to go," Gizmo said as he flew over Raven and Beast Boy.

The HIVE members encircled Raven and Beast Boy, much like how a pack of coyotes encircles its prey. Raven chanted her magical three words while Beast Boy morphed into a large coyote (oh, the irony). A black energy shield surrounded the dark empath. Her eyes glowed black and a series of fire hydrants exploded, one nearly hitting Jinx. But Cyborg's semi-clone took her out with a single blast. Beast Boy, greatly saddened, morphed into a raptor and lunged at the semi-clone, but Gizmo threw a foreign object at him. Beast Boy curiously stepped forth. The object exploded and Beast Boy was sent crashing through a building.

A voice behind the group yelled "No!"

Jinx, Gizmo, and the others turned to see a boy run, no, _limp_, toward them. His yellow and black cape fluttered as he came forth.

"Another one! I'll handle this. This'll be easy," Jinx said as a twisted grin came upon her face. She shot an energy ball at him, but Robin moved out of the way in time.

"You (pant) hurt my (pant) friends. For that (pant), I'll… AHHHHHH!" Robin yelled as Mammoth punched him in his stomach. Robin buckled down to his knees and fell forward. A drop of blood oozed out of his mouth. Then, everything went black.

* * *

Next chapter coming soon. Please review.  
No, seriously, I'm working on the next chapter. I'm serious! I'll have it to you by... hmm... sometime this year, I hope.  
**P.S. **My other story "If Only" is on temporary hiatus. I am braindead. I have no ideas for that story whatsoever and I don't like the path that it's traveling down. But, I promise that I will finish it... eventually. 


	4. All the Things Left Undiscovered

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Robin awoke to a white blinding light. A flash of purple caught his eye. He turned his head to the right, but a shock of pain pervaded his body. As another flash of purple caught his eye, Robin decided to follow it with his eyes. He turned his eyes to the right. _'There it is,'_ Robin thought to himself as he spotted the purple…thing, whatever it was. 

Then the purple thing leaned over his face and a soft, but monotone said, "He has awakened."

Robin's eyes adjusted to the light and he realized that the purple thing was Raven's hair. He gazed into Raven's amethyst eyes, which were staring right back at him.

"I told you not to leave your room. Do you see what happens when you don't listen? You black out and get the wind knocked out of you," Raven said as she continued to stare at Robin.

"I'm sorry Raven, but I had to leave. I felt that you were in trouble. I felt that you needed my help," Robin apologized.

Raven turned her face away from Robin. "Thank you for your help, but you hurt yourself in the process." She turned to Robin again and said, "Cyborg will be here in a moment to help you to your room."

Robin cocked an eyebrow. "Why can't you help me?"

Raven stood in the doorway and turned to face Robin. "I-I kind of have something to do." With that, she exited the Titans' Medical Ward and the door closed behind her.

…

'_Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos…' _Raven chanted as she defied gravity on her bedroom floor. She kept her eyes closed as she floated four inches off the ground, which is less than her normal height of eight inches. She tried her hardest to concentrate, but she simply could not. Raven fell back to the ground. She pushed herself up off the floor with all of her strength and crawled into bed. _'Why can't I concentrate?' _she asked herself.Raven sighed and shut her eyes tight; she was weary from the battle and also felt weak.

After a few minutes of trying, she finally found nirvana.

…

Robin stared up at his ceiling. He couldn't sleep. As he turned over on his side, a sharp sting of excruciating pain engulfed his stomach. Robin held his stomach and winced in pain. _'My God, Mammoth's punches hurt like hell,' _Robin thought as a single tear slid down his cheek and dropped on his pillow. "No!" he yelled, to himself in particular. "Only weak fools cry! You are _not _a weak fool! Stop crying, dammit!" Robin stared at his wall, which was cluttered with newspaper articles. _'Look, all of those articles celebrate the Titans' victories. We have won every battle that we were put up against. But you have failed your team this time. You're supposed to be the leader. You were their last hope today, and you blew it!' _Robin scolded himself as he held his stomach in never ending pain. He breathed out angrily as he made an attempt to calm himself.

He failed.

Robin then thought about what Raven said to him.

"_Calm down, Robin. First, you cross your legs, like so. Then, you close your eyes. Take in the silence and peace of the room with a few breaths. Meditation is the process of clearing your head and eliminating any negative thoughts," _Raven's calm and monotonous voice floated through his ears from memory_. "Then why are you so negative?" _Robin had replied to her. _"Ha, ha," _Raven had replied dryly.

Robin sat up in his bed crossed his legs. It caused him a great amount of pain, but Robin braved the pain and followed directions, which was something he wasn't used to doing. He closed his eyes. The rare silence in Robin's room lingered on for a moment- that was until Starfire burst into Robin's room with a cup of water and rather large bowl of green gook. Robin's eye twitched a few times before he unfolded his legs.

"Friend Robin, I have brought you some drinking fluids and The Pudding of Sickness. On my planet, we consumed large amounts of the Pudding of Sickness when we were feeling ill," Starfire grinned. She thrust the bowl into Robin's shaking hands.

Robin looked down at the green…stuff. He could've sworn it moved. Robin's stomach did Routine 5 (I hate when I have to explain jokes; remember as a child, Robin and his family were acrobats. They had routines…figure out the joke) as he took another quick glance at the green gook.

"No thanks Starfire. I- I'm not hungry right now," Robin said with a kind smile. _Yeah, I'm not hungry for that. _

Starfire looked down at her food. She looked up again with a smile on her face. "Okay, I shall prepare something else! I shall store the food that belongs to you in the Oven of Microwaveable Objects. You may it consume it when you are ready for consumption!" Starfire suggested cheerfully.

"NO!" Robin yelled accidentally. He blushed a bit as Starfire gazed at him, clearly puzzled. "I mean no. You don't have to do that for me. You'll be wasting your time. I don't want to be a bother. I'll order food…or something like that. I'll be fine, Star," Robin corrected himself quickly. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as Starfire exited the room.

Robin gazed at his nightstand. His solitary T-Comm was his object of interest.

A sigh.

Robin turned to his door. There standing in the doorway was Raven.

"You miss the action? The adventure? You miss being our leader?" Raven asked, but it seemed more like three statements.

Robin cocked an eyebrow. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Oh, about two minutes."

"Why?"

Raven held up a small pill bottle and a glass of water. "These." With that said, Raven walked over to Robin's bedside and handed him his pain medication.

As Raven reached down to hand Robin his pills, something red caught Robin's eye. He grabbed Raven's arm. Raven stared at Robin in surprise and confusion.

"Robin, what the hell are you doing?" Raven asked with a hint of anger.

Robin ignored Raven's question and tore a bit of Raven's sleeve off. There, on Raven's pale and bony arm, were five long red scars. Robin stared at Raven in disbelief.

"Raven…" Robin managed to utter. He continued to stare at Raven's face.

Raven narrowed her eyes down at the carpet. She tried to pull her arm out of Robin's grasp, but she did not prevail.

"Raven, I had no idea. But- but why?" Robin asked with genuine sincerity.

Raven finally looked at Robin. "I don't cut."

This made Robin pretty angry. "How could you say that you don't cut when I can clearly see the scars! How could you lie to me when the evidence is right there?" Robin asked, nearly yelling.

"I. Do not. Cut," Raven said between small breaths. She turned away from Robin as a solitary tear made its way down her face. "You wouldn't understand."

Robin gently laid his hand on Raven's face as another tear rolled down her cheek. "What's wrong? What is it that you don't think I would understand? Help me to see," he said.

Raven glanced at Robin, who was not acting like his normal edgy self. He was…caring and sincere. Raven held Robin's hand and chanted, "Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!"

…

Robin found himself in a room that was glazed with darkness. He looked to the left and saw a red hulking figure towering over a small girl.

"You WILL reign! You WILL take over Azarath! It is your destiny, young one. And you will fulfill it," the red beast commanded.

The small girl looked up at the beast and flared her nostrils. "Never! You cannot make me and I will never let you order me around!" she yelled bravely.

"Yes…you…WILL!" the beast yelled back. He wrapped his massive hand around the small girl's neck and held her against the wall. "You do as I say…or else."

The small girl struggled under the beast's massive hold on her neck. She choked. As the beast let go, the girl crumpled to the ground. She slowly regained her breath. She glanced up at the beast angrily. "Leave me…alone," the girl said as she stabbed the beast in his foot with a small pencil that was lying on the ground only moments before.

The beast shrieked in pain. As the girl tried to make her getaway, he grabbed her by her purple hair and swung her to the ground. Then, he wrapped his arms around the girl's shoulders.

"If you, my child, truly decide not to start a reign of terror and hatred over all of Azarath, then I bind you from ever using our powers again. On the day commemorating this day fifteen years in the future, you shall suffer the dire consequences of your decision," the beast said. With that, the beast left the small girl on the floor. He walked past Robin, who was invisible to him.

Robin ran over to the girl to get a closer look. There, on her arm, were five long red scars.

…

Robin found himself in his room once more. He turned to his right and saw Raven in a deep trance. "Raven?" Robin called in a questionable tone.

Raven opened her eyes slowly. She turned to Robin.

"Raven, what are the consequences?" Robin asked.

"Death."

* * *

**Next Chapter coming soon. Review PLEASE!**

**A/N:** That chapter took a while to write. To me, it sounds a little like Birthmark, but I had this idea _before _I heard of the Birthmark episode. It sounds a lot like I copied from the Birthmark episode, but I did _not! _Like I said, I had this idea before I found out about the Birthmark episode. I just was having a hard time writing it.


	5. Lullabies to Paralyze

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter 5**

**_Author's Note:_** Haha, I said I wasn't gonna finish this, but I am, so, ha! ...Way immature. By the way, I kinda like Starfire now. She's so naive, but you gotta love her! Anyway, let's begin the story, shall we?

* * *

Raven fiddled with her iPod, subconsciously pressing the buttons; she couldn't sleep. When the song suddenly changed from _"You'll Rebel to Anything" _(Mindless Self Indulgence kicks ass) to _"Barbie Girl"_, she snapped out of her dream-like state and sighed in disgust.

_'How the fuck did _this _get in here! ... Oh that's right; I lent it to Starfire that one time. Well, never again...' _Raven thought as she, rather quickly, deleted the song and changed it to _"Cute Without the E". _

A soft knock on her door startled Raven. She gently set her iPod down on her bed and limped over to her door. Before she had a chance to reach for the button, the door slid open. Raven stared as Robin stood in the doorway, holding a intricately decorated mug of earl grey tea.

"I was gonna come in; you have to rest your ankle. Wow, two weeks and you'd think it would've healed, huh?" Robin said as he handed Raven her mug.

"Yeah, well I didn't exactly see Beast Boy's foot there," Raven replied as she balanced herself on the wall.

"Or the stairwell," Robin added.

"Gee, thanks. Adding insult to injury really makes a girl feel better. Anyway, thanks for the tea," Raven said softly as she limped to her bed.

Robin quickly ran over to lend Raven a hand (and shoulder to rest on). "You _really _should keep off that thing. You're gonna fall one of these days. And I'm gonna have to be the one to catch you," Robin said as he let out a pretend sigh, which gave way to a goofy smile.

Raven let a small smile play on her face at it's urging. She sat up straight on her bed and sipped her tea. "Um, Robin? Not that I'm throwing you out or anything, but why are you still here?"

Robin sat down backward on a chair. "I just wanna watch you sleep. I thought I'd return the favor."

Raven blinked. Twice. "How...sweet. Perverted, but sweet."

"Hey! It's not like I'm gonna-"

"I know," Raven cut Robin's sentence short. She picked up her iPod and selected her "Lullabies" playlist (ironically consists of songs such as "A Decade Under the Influence", "Kill the Rock", "Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends", "Lemon" (by Katy Rose), "Taste of Ink", "Teachin' Myself to Dream" (also by Katy), and "Ch-Check it Out"). She set her empty mug down on her nightstand and gestured for Robin to turn out her light (which didn't do much anyway). She pulled up her sheets as her eyes slowly shut tight.

* * *

Raven awoke to complete and utter darkness. And not the kind she was used to. She searched her wall for the cord lamp, but instead made a terrifying discovery; it wasn't _her _wall. It wasn't even _her _room. She gathered what was left of her powers and lit up the room with grey-ish light. She gasp as she realized someone, or some_thing_, was staring back at her. It lept viciously at her, but quick thinking Raven had the first move: a hard punch on the nose. The thing, which Raven identified as a robot, adjusted its head and tried to attack again. Raven and the robot were caught in a rumble; the victor lives.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" A nearby ladder crashed down on the robot; disassembling it.

Raven struggled to pick herself up from the hard, cold floor. She backed into a wall and worked her way up. She accidentally placed her hand on a broken windowsill littered with shards of broken glass. Raven withdrew her hand and watched as traces of crimson regret dripped down to the floor. She bit her lip and kept limping toward what looked like an exit out of this hellhole.

_'Abandonded warehouses are great and all, but when something attacks me...I'm out,' _she thought.

"Going somewhere?" a deep Ron Perlman-esque voice (**A/N **Ooh, I ruined the surprise! Like it was a surprise anyway) called from the shadows.

Raven didn't turn around. "Does it look like I'm going somewhere?"

"Not from here, no."

Raven made a break for it. "How about now?" She didn't care if she damaged her ankle more; she just wanted to get the fuck out of there. Raven then felt a sickening crack against the back of her head. Blood dripped out from her as everything went black.

* * *

"GAH!" Robin cried out as he awoke suddenly. He rubbed his eyes and allowed them adjust to the dark. He looked straight ahead to Raven's messy bed, minus the Raven. He shrugged. _'She probably went for a drink of water. Or the bathroom...whatever...' _he thought as he stood up from the chair and stretched out. He exited the dark room and headed to the kitchen. Raven's customized carved mug sat on the counter.

_'How'd this get here? Rae had it on her nightstand. If she returned it to the kitchen, her limping would've woken me up, right? .. Yeah,' _Robin thought, puzzled, as he washed the mug out and returned it to the cupboard.

Footsteps across the living room floor startled Robin. Ever ready, he withdrew a birdarang from his pajama pants pocket and stealthily slipped into the living room. A dark figure reached for something that reflected the moonlight from the windows. Robin switched on the light and nearly threw a birdarang at...

"GARFIELD! I could've killed you! What the fuck are you doing here?"

Beast Boy cocked an eyebrow and pointed to the tv. "Dude, tv. HEY! POINT THAT BOOMARANG THINGY AWAY FROM ME!"

Robin stuffed the birdarang back into his pocket. "Sorry." He pointed to the shining object. "What the hell is that!"

Beast Boy stared at Robin. "Uh...remote?"

"Who paints a remote chrome?"

"Funny story actually-"

Robin cut him off. "Have you seen Raven?"

Beast Boy fought the urge to continue staring at the TV (Hey, Family Guy's just that compelling). "No." Then he turned back to the TV...and wiped the drool from his favourite Spongebob pajama shirt.

Robin stared at the back of Beast Boy's head for a second before sighing and dragging his sulking body to Cyborg's room. He knocked loudly. Cyborg's door slid open and Cyborg's tired face greeted Robin.

"Yo," Cyborg yawned. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes before staring at Robin. "Man, it's 2 AM!"

"You're usually up. Well, I was just wondering if you've seen Raven."

"Nah, man. Sorry," Cyborg said as his door slid shut.

Robin sighed and walked over to Starfire's room. Robin smiled at her elaborately decorated door; it reminded him of a collage of pop culture his sister had made when they were younger. Old memories haunted Robin for a few moments before he took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He knocked on Starfire's door.

Starfire opened her door and grinned as she saw Robin. "Friend Robin, what is it that I can do for you?" she asked with a smile.

"I was just wondering if you've seen Rae. She's nowhere else to be found," he replied.

"I am truly sorry, but I have not seen her."

A sigh. "Okay. Thanks." He walked to his own room. He threw on his uniform and walked over to his window. Robin grabbed the outer windowsill and lept outside. He scaled down the walls of Titan's Tower. Once he reached the ground, he retracted his rope and ran (Give 'em hell, kid!).

* * *

Raven slowly opened her eyes. A blinding white light caused her to shield her eyes. "H-huh? Wh-where am I?" she searched for answers as she looked around the room.

"Possible concusion," said a voice that was attached to no body that Raven could find.

"Possible amnesia. She did get hit rather hard," said another.

Raven's voice turned from vulnerable to lethal. "Where am I? Where am I! WHERE THE FUCK AM I!" she yelled as she inched her self back toward a wall and made her way up. She half glided toward what seemed to be a mirror; she had little strength. She pounded as hard as she could, but it was no use. Raven then gathered up her strength- what was left of it at least- and one "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" later, the mirror took on an unearthly black glow. She tried to make it shatter itself, but she couldn't. She gasped and collapsed to the floor; weak and nearly powerless.

"That's our girl," said one of the voices from the other side of the "mirror".

A door slid open. A figure in a white lab coat and a gas mask entered Raven's cell. He knelt down in front of Raven's fragile body. He forced a few pills down her throat and followed it up with a glass of water. He watched as Raven's swallowed and opened her eyes.

"Azarath Metri- AHH!" Raven had been tasered (or tazered). She watched helplessly as the figure put the stun gun back into his pocket and left the room. She inched away from the two-way mirror into a corner where nobody could see her. Raven pulled out her T-Comm and called the Tower.

"Anybody there? Hello?" Raven called.

"-yawn- Raven! How are ya? Robin was looking for you!" Beast Boy answered.

"Oh, really? ... Can you trace my coordinates?"

"Huh? Co-or-di-nates? ...I'm gonna go get Cy."

Raven sighed and waited for Cyborg to answer.

"Yo! Hang on, Rae; don't hang up," Cyborg instructed as he pressed a few buttons.

"Okay."

"Okay, got it. We're coming to get you, Barbara!"

"NOOO!" Raven yelled as mall muzak played in the background. (Sorry, had to include an _'Evil Dead' _reference xD)

**-What REALLY Happened-  
**  
"We're coming to get you, Rae!"

"Niiiiiiice. Take your time. I'm fine," Raven replied , sarcastically, as she closed her T-Comm.

She quickly stashed it in her cloak as the door slid open again. Slade proudly paraded into the room with his hands clasped behind his back. He took one look at the weak Raven and grinned triumphantly behind his mask.

"Ah, nice to see you again, dear Raven. I see that you have met my assistant," Slade said in his unhuman voice.

The man in the white lab coat stepped from behind Slade and removed his mask. Raven looked into the eyes of the man she set free all those nights ago. He smirked at her as Raven's eyes narrowed.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Raven growled.

"Ooh, we're getting dark, aren't we?" Slade taunted.

As Raven was about to muster her strength and attack Slade, she felt very lightheaded. "What were in those pills?" she asked, trying to sounds tough, but instead sounded less than.

"Simple sleeping pills," Slade replied as he left the room with his assistant. He pressed a few buttons on a remote and the door locked shut behind him.

"W-wha?" Raven said to herself. _'Mere sleeping pills? Oooh, how dastardly. What's he up to?' _Raven thought as she lay down on the white padded flooring. Her eyes couldn't stay open any longer. She soon drifted off to a deep, yet peaceful sleep.

* * *

Robin's motorcycle cut through the busy streets of Jump City. He was going to find his friend. And nothing was gonna stop him.

* * *

**That's the end of chapter five. Review, review, review! Next chapter up soon. This chapter was pretty boring and uneventful, eh? It's leading up to more stuff in the next chapter.**

**See you later. AND REVIEW!**


	6. Set Phasers to Stun

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter Six**

**I need at least 15 reviews of this chapter to continue the next chapter! Please?  
**

**Hi! Wow it's been forever. This is the latest chapter. Sorry about the wait. The next chapter up after at least 15 reviews!

* * *

**

"Is she...conscious?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"Make the little brat wish she were dead."  
"Yes, sir."

"AHHH!"

An intense jolt pervaded Raven's fragile frame. Her nails gripped a rubber surface. She tried to regulate her heavy breathing as she snapped open her eyes. The first thing she noticed was silver. As her line of vision cleared, she made the sickening realization that the 'silver' was a large needle, prominently stuck into her abdomen. The needle was connected to a large, seemingly complicated machine. On the front of the machine was a small LCD monitor. The monitor counted down.

3,  
2,  
1.

"AHH! FUCK!"

Another painful shock. Raven's mind snapped to reality. She attempted to rise from the white rubber cot, but she found that she couldn't. Raven sat up straight and looked to her feet. Restraints. _Steel _restraints.  
"Kill me, will you?" she muttered as she closed her eyes.

Energy focused on the restraints, Raven envisioned them broken.  
She opened her eyes.  
Nothing.

She tried again.  
Nothing.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE! SLADE, SHOW YOURSELF, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Raven yelled as various objects in her small white cell violently exploded.

"In due time, my little angel. In due time."

3,  
2,  
1.

* * *

"Cyborg, what are Raven's coordinates?" Robin asked his T-Comm as he veered through traffic in the dark streets of Jump City. 

Cyborg, on the other line of the T-Comm, typed rapidly on the Titans' GPS Locator. "The abandoned warehouse on Flat Street," he replied.

"Thanks, Cy."

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Kick the villian's ass."

Robin smiled as he flipped his T-Comm close. He rode off into the night, on a quest to find his friend.

* * *

Raven, feeling groggy, heard a beep. She quickly sat up and searched the room for the source of the sound. At that moment, the door slid open. In walked the antagonizer, hands prominently clasped together. 

"Hello dear." The words slithered out of Slade's steel facade.

Raven shot him a scowl. "So I'm guessing 'due time' meant about ten minutes?" she shot back.

Raven waited for an equally sarcastic reply. But instead, Slade kept quiet and stared at Raven.

"Why am I here?" Raven asked finally, breaking the ice.

"There is something else to your story," Slade answered.

"What? What story?" Raven demanded, truly bewildered.

"Something not even you yourself know. Yet," continued, as if Raven never made her latest comment.

"What the fuck are you talking about Slade!" Raven demanded.

"Why, the story you told Robin of course," he replied coolly. Raven guessed he was hiding a sadistic smile under his mask.

"H-how do you know about that?" Raven wondered wide-eyed, feeling rather violated.

Slade smiled- at least, the slightest smile visible under his mask- and dramatically flourished toward the two-way mirror. A dark void appeared on the screen.

Raven shrugged her shoulders. "So?"

"Look closer," Slade instructed.

Raven focused her vision, which was quite blurry from all those shocks. As she concentrated, she recognized something- her bed.  
"NO!" she screamed. "B-but I let Robin into my mind! A mere camera won't let you see _that_," Raven stammered.

Slade switched the image off. "Ah, quite the contrary. You see, when you are in that state of trance, you're quite vulnerable. Anyone can tap into your mind, with the right technology, of course. And when I have that technology, why not?" Slade answered, grinning menacingly. He walked back over to Raven's cot.  
"Now, as I was saying, there is something else to your story."

"What?" Raven asked half-heartedly, feeling quite defeated.

"Your scars."

Raven rolled up her sleeves to reveal the five, long, red gashes. "What about them?"

"Do you know how they came to be?"

"No."

"Ah, your father. He had a partner."

"Congrats," Raven replied cynically.

"His partner was repulsed by you. He wanted to watch you die."

"Not unlike the _rest _of my enemies."

"Raven, do you remember your father's vow?"

"Take over Azarath or face the 'dire consequences'," Raven murmured.

"The very one. As your father ordered, his partner worked his magic as you slept."

"What magic?"

"The blades."

"What?"

"They were poisoned."

* * *

**And that was the next chapter in "Raven's Secret." I'm sorry for the long wait. I will write the next chapter soon. I'm sorry, I'm moving around a lot and I never have time to write.**

**Enjoy&&review!**


	7. I'm Sorry It Took Me So Long

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter Seven**

**I NEED AT LEAST 10 REVIEWS OF THIS CHAPTER TO CONTINUE THE STORY!  
Please?**

**As of 8:18 PM EST on 7/16/07, I've gotten 2235 hits to this story.  
Is it so hard to review??  
I worked so hard on this story. PLEASE review.**

* * *

3,

2,

1.

"AGHHH!!!"

"So, Raven, I see you have called for backup," Slade announced cooly as he gestured to Raven's exposed T-Comm.

Raven, unable to lift her head, sighed.

"Aww, what's the matter, child?" Slade antagonized. "Not feeling especially cheery today? But why? The- the ceiling's clear, the spotlight's shining, the birds are dying; it's a marvelous day."

Raven's frail figure convulsed and a red stream flowed out of her parted mouth. "What do you want?" she asked as she bit her lower lip and clenched the previously-stained bedspread.

Slade's laugh was similar to the sound of the warm air escaping your mouth on a particularly frosty day. "Life; there must be _some _kind of way out of here. If I'm the thief, you shall be the joker."

The sound of Slade's metal exterior grinding together as he knelt down caused Raven's nails to break through the sheet and embed themselves into her palm. A shriek was scheduled, but only a whimper was available. The expression of a wolf cornering its prey forced its way onto Slade's face.

"Excellent."

* * *

"Thanks, Cyborg," Robin said as he closed his T-Comm as he relentlessly veered through Jump City in the dead of night. 

_Good going, asshole. You let her out of your sight. What's happening to her? _

His eyes narrowed.

_It's your fault, Boy Blunder. Nothing you do is ever right. What the fuck is wrong with you? You're supposed to be a hero. Hmmph, if only they knew how much of a pussy you are. Why don't you lock yourself in your room again and run that razor-_

"SHUT UP!" Robin yelled, unable to take his self destructive thoughts any longer. "I can do this! I can save the best friend I've ever had. She depends on me now and I _can _do it. I can- AGHHH!!"

A cobalt Volvo ran a red light at the approaching intersection. Robin swerved out of the way in time to avoid becoming roadkill, but a streetlamp beckoned him to pay his dues. Robin backflipped off his T-Cycle to avoid becoming the next Terry Schaivo. Fragments of glass and sparks lit up the night sky like an expertly executed pyrotechnics display. Robin paused for a moment to take in the recent occurrence. After a few comprehending nods, he sighed and let out the loudest scream to ever escape his lips.

* * *

Slade fiddled with the yellow-and-black contraption that was the T-Comm. "So, you called for your pathetic little friends with this? But Raven, we're having such a marvelous time on our own." And with one swift drop of his fist, the T-Comm was nothing more than spare parts. 

Raven's state of awareness dwindled from half awake to daydream.

_"Daddy! Watch me!" Raven exclaimed as a nearby vase was engulfed in a black glow. _

_"Not now, Raven. I have business to attend to."_

Raven's large amethyst eyes lost its fervent glow. The vase dropped to the floor and shattered upon impact. She made her way over to her favorite violet velvet beanbag chair. She plopped down, sulking, her chin resting on her tiny hands. Suddenly, her eyes widened and a grin washed over her rosy lips. Raven's curiosity lassoed her and dragged her toward where her father was conducting a meeting of sorts. As she was about to step into the half-opened door, a hand encased in metal reached out and pulled it shut.

* * *

[**A/N:** **If I may include a song to set the stage for this scene, it would be "L-L-Love" by Astaire. Or possibly "Let Go" by Frou Frou.**

The wind danced with Robin's yellow-and-black cape as he scaled a rocky brick wall in an alley next to the warehouse where Raven was being held captive. The gleaming cheshire cat grin in the sky exposed a broken window behind him; a way in. He muttered an expletive to himself as a jagged shard of glass scathed his face as it fell to the cement below him. He grasped a protruding metal bar, centered his legs in front of him, and backflipped into the newly-revealed entrance. The darkness shrouded potential enemies- a risk Robin was not willing to take. He stealthily felt around for the nearest wall; careful to not let his metal boots make even the slightest noise. He arched his back against the wall and searched his utility belt for his Batlight. Once found, he withdrew it and shed some light on his surroundings.

_What is this place?_

Suddenly, a robot henchman of Slade's charged at Robin with clenched fists.

"Make my day," Robin growled as he tossed his flashlight aside and withdrew his Bo staff.

The robot landed a right hook on Robin's shoulder. Robin clenched his teeth and swung his staff, knocking the robot back a foot. It landed on Robin's Batlight, shattering it- once again allowing darkness to reign. Blind sided, Robin swung in every way he could, but his blows were unsuccessful. The robot took advantage of this and struck. The first blow hit Robin square in the nose, the second in his abdomen, and third on his throat. Robin sailed through the air and crashed into the very wall that was once his protection. Robin sneezed blood. For every ounce of oxygen that entered his lungs, an army of invisible fists attacked his chest. He shut his eyes for a moment to regain his composure. As he was about to stand, the robot wrapped a single cold hand around Robin's neck. Robin kicked and flailed, but the robot persisted to hoist Robin higher and higher up the wall. The last bits of oxygen were making their way out of his lungs.

_So, this is how it ends. You could've saved your friend. She _depended _on you. But no. You had to go off and die on her. You're pathetic._

Robin felt his body going numb. "No," he whimpered.

The robot tightened its grip.

"No," he proclaimed, a little louder.

The robot's free hand was ready to strike.

"NO!!!" Robin yelled, and, with one swift move, impaled the robot's head with his Bo staff.

The robot released Robin from its death-grip and fell to the warehouse floor, a jumbled mess of wires and metal alloy. Robin fell to his knees on the hard, cold floor. He took a couple of moments to catch his breath.

_You did good, kid. _

Robin withdrew a Zippo lighter from his utility belt and lit up the room. _Ah, a door. _He cautiously pushed it open and went inside.

* * *

**Next chapter up in a few days. I'm almost done working on it. I'm extremely sorry for the long wait.**

**BUT READ AND REVIEW!!! **

**-Ariel **


	8. Fear of Sleep

**Raven's Secret**

**Chapter Eight**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Living Dead Dolls nor any of the lyrics featured in this story.

* * *

Raven snapped opened her eyes and immediately shielded them from the blinding white light that radiated from the spotlight. "Fuck, I forgot," she uttered meekly.

Slade cynically watched the empath's pupils dilate and adjust to her new found consciousness. He scoffed. "And I didn't even need to use the machine," he commented. He reached down and grabbed what Raven believed was a pocketwatch. Slade thirstily drank in Raven's look of confusion. "Time is running out, dear," his otherworldly voice oozed. Raven staggered forward and peered at the time displayed on the watch. 11:55. She announced the time warily. Slade nodded and pocketed the watch. "It's time," he announced coolly.

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "It's time?" she repeated hesitantly.

Slade nodded and shut his eye. An indecipherable symbol on his face that went unnoticed by Raven before donned an eerie crimson luminance. Startled, Raven's muscles tensed up, which only made it easier for Slade to pounce. He secured her to the cot with makeshift ties made from the white bedspread. There she lie, prostrate, supine, trying to utter a scream, but her vocal cords were on strike. She could only lie back and watch the horror unfold.

First, the metallic villain fumbled through a satchel of supplies until he came upon a vial of what appeared to be scarlet paint. He uttered a sound of approval and stood over the frightened telepath. Slade began to chant foreign gibberish as he painted outlandish symbols on Raven's body. She tried to wriggle and writhe, but Slade appeared to be unmoved. He ceased using Raven as his canvas. He returned the vial to his satchel and peered down to admire his handiwork. He then withdrew a garnet-encrusted dagger from the depths of the bag and held it above Raven's writhing form.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the villain's sadistic monotone inquired. He let the blade dance between his fingers as he made his way over to the fuse box. "I know how much you hate the light, dear. And I agree- maybe it's time for some...darkness."

Shadows consumed the room, allowing spirits to play and evil to breed. Suddenly, a circle of soft light surrounded the telepath. After a closer inspection. she realized that they were candles. _What is he going to do to me?! _

Slade sashayed from behind the circle and placed his hand on one of the rails of the cot. Even from behind his gleaming façade, Raven could tell he was smirking. With his finger, he traced the outline of one of the bars. "So tell me, Raven, what is your biggest fear?"

Raven sneered and spat at her antagonist. "You not dying," she growled.

Slade chuckled. "Getting a little dark, are we?" he teased. He stared out into the shadows. "So, you're telling me that you aren't afraid of _dying_?" His eye homed in on both of Raven's. "Remember what I said earlier? About life and that there must be a way out?" He positioned his dagger. "Well, you truly are the joker. And I'm the _thief._"

With a swift hack of his blade, Slade created a wide gash on Raven's wrist. "I need you alive throughout the rest of this. Then, child, you can rest."

A flash of yellow caught Slade's eye. "I see your little friend has come to exacerbate things."

Robin gripped his Bo tightly within his gloved fists. "No, I've come to _rescue_ her," he declared with a snarl. He flipped the switch and allowed the illumination from the spotlight to once again permeate the room. He caught sight of his dying teammate and was taken aback. A tear threatened to expose his weakness, but the Boy Wonder fought back. He faced his archenemy and demanded, "What did you do to her?"

Slade gave his victim a once-over. "You see Robin, your friend is a small facet in a much greater plan. You already know what I desire, Robin. And with the help of your friend here, I can achieve it." He pointed to the glowing symbol on his mask. "I've already had a small push, but Raven here will launch me over the edge. You're too late, Robin. We've already started the party and you weren't invited."

Robin watched as Raven's movements declined in speed and continuity. _She's bleeding...so fast, _he pondered sadly. He turned to Slade. "I'll launch _you_ over the edge!" he yelled as he rushed to attack the villain.

Slade blocked Robin's strike and countered it with a blow to his stomach. Robin flew backward and crashed into a wall. He jumped up and launched two Birdarangs at the antagonist. Slade dodged them both and dropkicked Robin. While on the floor, Robin grabbed one of Slade's legs and slammed him to the ground. Slade kicked Robin in his ribcage. Robin flew back about a foot, holding his ribs in sheer pain. Slade finished the job with a boot to Robin's face. Robin lay sprawled out on the cold hard linoleum, dwindling between consciousness.

Slade dusted himself off and stood over the feeble empath. "I'm sorry about the interruption, Raven. Now let's get back to business." He cracked open a seemingly archaic book. Dust was liberated with each flip of a page. "Ah," he announced, "Here we are." The otherworldly monotonous chanting began again. Slade dipped his finger in the collecting pool of Raven's crimson vital fluid and traced over the existing red symbol on his mask. Just as he was about to draw a similar one on Raven's face, Robin rose. "Back for more, are we?" Slade teased.

In a move that surprised everyone, Robin dropped his Bo. "No," he replied, "Take me instead."

Shocked, Slade halted his chanting. "You want to-"

"Yes. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Just let her go!" Robin answered.

Slade studied the hero's confident demeanor. "Alright, Robin," he said finally. He beckoned for the young hero to step forth .

Robin reluctantly, but helplessly, followed instructions. Slade wrapped his arms around Robin's gaunt shoulders as he knelt down to whisper in his ear. Raven watched in horror as the incriminating dagger poked through Robin's back. She remembered that fateful night so long ago. _If it weren't for that night, Robin would not have been here. He wouldn't be dying for me right now. __**Slade.**__ It's all his fault. He will pay._

"We could've been something, Robin. Something magnificent. But you blew it. You had your chance. Now you're going to lie here and rot, all because you wanted to be a hero. You're useless to me. Don't you see? Heroes _die_ in the end. Goodnight, Robin, you pathetic bastard," Slade cooed as Robin slumped to the ground. He turned to Raven. "Don't be upset. You'll be of some use. You'll die knowing that you helped someone, child. Isn't that what you wanted when you chose your path?"

Raven shut her eyes. The emotions that inhabited her mind were conversing, each weighing in with what they believed was the best next move. Slade watched in confusion as the empath's eyes began to illuminate an eerie pale blue. She then released a wild, piercing banshee scream. Her midnight blue uniform changed before Slade's eye- it became _white_. The telepath thrashed wildly until she finally was released from her captivity. She stood before the bewildered villain, her wrist still bleeding out, but it did not seem to faze her. She opened her mouth, and when she spoke, a chorus of a dozen voices echoed.

"Welcome to your worst nightmare," Raven snarled. Robin was instantly engulfed in a pale blue glow; he floated a few feet off the ground, unconscious. She turned back to Slade. "You will _not _have another casualty tonight."

Slade dropped his dagger. "This will be easy," he smirked.

Raven launched a white psi-ball in Slade's direction. He tried to dodge it, but it permeated his armor, sending shock waves throughout his body. Raven took great pleasure in his screams of pain.

"I thought you said it'll be _easy_," she teased.

Slade scowled and rushed at Raven. He pinned her to the ground and began to punch her. Or at least, that was his intention. The punches didn't even graze Raven's skin. She laughed and flung him off of her. Slade crashed into the two way mirror. His groans intensified with each shard of glass that he removed from his armor. Slade launched the newly-removed shards at Raven, but she possessed the shards, sending them flying back at the offender at ten times the speed. They became lodged in Slade's mask. He cried out in great agony. Raven scoffed. She came closer. Slade grabbed his dagger, his body trembling as he waved it at the empath. Raven watched as the panic and bewilderment intermingled in his eye, forming the unmistakable waltz of fear. Raven grinned.

"And what are you going to do with that?" she enticed with a smirk.

"You _BITCH!_" Slade yelled as he thrust the blade into Raven's abdomen.

Raven watched the dark crimson regret cascade out of the wound. She reached down and pulled the blade out of her, groaning with each inch of silver that exited her. She tossed it aside. _CLINK!_ She felt the voices taking over again.

_KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!_

Raven dropped to her knees, holding her head as if to keep her emotions from escaping. She opened her mouth to scream, but instead a black aura escaped. Raven looked on as the seven feet of darkness took on the form of a human- a woman, rather. It released a demonic yell as it wrapped its hands around the neck of the villain. The shadow slammed its prey into the wall- again and again. When it felt Slade had had enough, it released him from its death grip. Slade crumbled to the floor. As the shadows were about to consume his pathetic form, Slade opened the door and fled.

"Let him go," Raven uttered meekly.

The shadow obeyed. It faced Raven and grabbed her feeble hands. The shadows dissipated into Raven's skin. Then, everything went black.

* * *

"She's stable. Woah, I think she's coming to!"

Raven awakened to a blinding white light. "NO!" she screamed, fearing she was back in that hellish room.

A syringe sported a translucent black glow and instantly became hundreds of microscopic hard plastic fragments. A male voice cried out as its body avoided getting the needle lodged in its skin. Raven ran her hands over her abdomen, searching for the hole through which the dagger entered. She felt nothing, only smooth flesh. Shocked, she examined her wrist- _stitches._ She sat up and inspected her surroundings.

"Rae! You're back!" Cyborg announced with glee. He rushed to hug Raven, his massive robotic arms made the empath feel tinier than usual.

Raven smiled. "So, I guess I'm alive," she said.

Starfire grinned and hugged Raven, nearly dragging her off the cot. "Oh, Friend Raven! You are alright! You cannot comprehend the amount of missing I have done for you! You shall join me today in our annual trip to the mall and-"

"Star, I think Raven needs to rest," interrupted Robin. He glanced at Raven and smiled. "I think she's been through enough," he added with a grin.

Raven peered down at her cot and half-smiled.

Robin faced his teammates "In fact I think you all should leave." He faced the empath once again. "I-I need to talk to Raven."

The Titans filed out of the Tower's Medical Ward, the automatic door closing behind them. Robin stood behind the telepath and scratched the back of his neck.

"I don't know how to thank you, Raven. You saved my life," he said softly.

Raven bit her bottom lip and looked away. When she looked back at the masked hero, she replied, "You shouldn't have come to save me. This should've _never_ happened."

Robin shook his head. "That's out of the question. You were in danger and I couldn't have that. I couldn't let you get hurt, Raven. I don't _care_ what happens to me," he explained.

Raven's eyebrows shot up. As Robin unhooked Raven from the IV and EKG, Raven said, "Thanks for saving me, Robin."

Robin halted, his mouth agape- which soon led into a thin, knowing smile. Raven, now free, hopped off the cot and stretched. She felt every joint and ligament liberate themselves from their once frozen position, resounding with a satisfying _POP!_ She helped the Boy Wonder cut the power to the dozens of medical machines ranging from life support to EKGs. Robin thanked Raven for her help and they both made their exit.

* * *

Later That Night:

The tears of the night sky cascaded down Raven's window, creating a steady and rhythmic tattoo that became the soundtrack to Raven's night. Shadows were at play in the darkness that was her room as she sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed, pondering her life thus far and what was to become of it. The faint whirring of metallic gears coming to life startled Raven. She spun around and watched as the soft orange-y tinge of light poured in from the hallway through her door. A masked figure stepped from behind the wall of light and into Raven's sanctuary.

"Robin?" Raven called, half bewildered, and half expectant.

The Boy Wonder nodded and shut the door behind him. He admired his surroundings, commenting, "Well, this looks familiar."

Raven uttered a faint snicker. Robin ran a gloved hand through his jet black hair and sat adjacent to the empath on her bed. Raven pulled her knees into her chest as a reflex. They sat together in the comforting silence, neither knowing where to begin, but both knowing it was safe to say anything.

Robin broke the silence. "Are you okay?" _Ugh, that was such a dumb question._

Raven turned to the young hero and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. _Thanks to you._

Robin fiddled with the red orange hair of Raven's Lizzie Borden Living Dead Doll. "I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for me." He placed the doll back on Raven's nightstand and faced the empath in question. "You've taught me a lot. I didn't know that you- you were so _nice._ But I guess you learn something new every day." _Like how beautiful your eyes are when the moonlight hits them._

Raven secured a stray violet hair behind her ear. _I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!_ "You're welcome," she responded, wincing at the intensity of her thoughts.

Robin rose from the bed, accidentally hitting Raven's stereo.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight  
Lead me out on the moonlit floor  
Lift your open hand  
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance  
Silver moon's sparkling  
So kiss me..._

Robin's mask widened in embarrassment. He laughed nervously as he fumbled to shut off the stereo. Raven twitched. Robin smoothed out his cape as he made his way to the door.

"So, I'll see you later, I guess," he said.

Raven nodded reluctantly. _Tell him! _She took a deep breath. "Robin, wait," she called.

Robin shut his eyes, his hand pressed against the door, relieved. He spun around. "Yes?"

"There- there's something I have to tell you," Raven stuttered. She shut her eyes. _I...just said that... Wow._

Robin resumed his place by the nervous telepath. The Lizzie Borden doll began to glow black and levitate, but Robin held onto it. "Yes?"

Raven sighed and rested her busy head on Robin's shoulder. Robin closed his eyes and smiled knowingly.

_Oh it's what you do to me  
Oh it's what you do to me  
Oh it's what you do to me  
Oh it's what you do to me  
What you do to me..._

Robin took the empath's trembling hand and held it within his own. Raven lifted her head. Robin stared into the amethyst eyes he's come to admire. He froze. _She's so beautiful._ He lifted a hand to rest on Raven's cheek and let his other one run through her violet hair. _Do it! _Robin interlocked his lips with Raven's and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. Raven held her breath, afraid that if she breathed, she'd wake up from this surreality. Robin released from the kiss, panting.

Raven shut her eyes and reopened them. _This is all...real... _She bit her lip. "I love you."

Robin's mouth was left agape. He rose and left Raven lying on her bed in despair. Raven's pillow exploded, sending white feathers raining on Raven's already soggy parade. "FUCK!" she screamed, burying her face in the comforts of her black bedspread. She pulled on her cloak and exited her room for a soothing cup of tea.

"Here."

Raven stopped in her tracks. Directly before her was her object of affection. In his hand was a piping hot mug of herbal tea. He smiled weakly. "I thought you might want this," he explained.

Raven's eyes began to pool with tears, but she fought back. She took a breath and said, "Thank you." As she was about to return to her sanctuary, a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"I love you, too," Robin assured, the soothing melody of those words were music to Raven's ears.

The two birds of feather entered Raven's room and took their seat on Raven's bed. Raven took a sip of her tea and folded her legs beneath her. "So tell me more about yourself," she enticed.

Robin mimicked Raven's position. "My name is Dick Grayson..."

_Fin._

* * *

**Ah, we have come to the end of this story. How did you like it? Review!**

**:D!**


End file.
